Stock-rack



(No Modem J. 0. TA'FT. STOCK RACK.

No. 315,677. Patented Apr. 14,1885.

UNITED STATES PATENT @Erica JAMES O. TAFT, OF HOW'ELL, MICHIGAN.

STOCK-RAC K.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 315,677, dated April 14, 1885. Application filed March 5, 1885. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES O. TAET, of Howell, in the county of Livingston and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Stock-Racks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this speciiication.

This invention relates to certain new and novel improvements in the construction ot' stock-racks especially designed to be attached to wagon-boxes. Devices of this kind are generally provided with a swinging end-gate that must be entirely removed before livestockoan either be loaded or unloaded. Where the swinggate is provided, it it swings outwardly and you have been loading or unloading at the entrance to a buiiding to which the wagon has been backed, before the gate 'can be closed the wagon must necessarily be drawn sufficiently far forward so as to allow the gate to spring, and where this is the case the stock is apt to jump down, and thereby cause considerable trouble; and in the other class, where the end-gate has to be entirely removed, they are often lost or forgotten It is the object oi' this invention to provide a rack than will fit upon ordinary i'arnrwagon boxes, and to provide the sanne with a gate which attaches itself to the end-gate of' the wagon and slides in vertical guides in that end of the rack, and adapted to beheld in an elevated position by the rod which connects the rear ends of the rack together, all as more fully hereinafter set forth.

Figure I is a perspective of my improved stock -rack attached to a wagon body, with the end-gate in its elevated position. Fig. 2 is a perspectivel of the endg-ate detached.

In the accompanying drawings, which forni a part of this specification, A represents a wagon body of the ordinary construction,

'upon the sides of which are secured the stakesockets. C is the endboard, which is also rovided with a stake-socket, D. E are the sides of the rack-frame, the bars of which are secured together by the stakes F,whichproj ect sufficiently below the bottom rail or bar of the rack so as to engage with the stake-sockets B. The bars ot' the sides are further secured together by the cleats G at each end, which also form guides in which the end-gates may slide vertically, and which also retain such gates in their proper vertical position. The rear gate, H, consists of a suitable rackfranie ot" the proper width to slide easily between the ends ot' the sides of the rack and between the cleats G, which latter go directly over and forni a continuation, when in place, of the cleats which hold the end-board C ot' the wagon-box in place. This gate H is provided with a stake, J, in the upper face of which is secured a spring-catch, K, which is designed to enter and engage with the stakesocket D upon the endboard G. Suitable tierods, L, connect the side rack frames, E. together and prevent their falling downwardly.

Inpractice, when the rack is placed upon the wagon-box and the rear gate, H, is made to engage with the'end-board ol' the wagon,

ifit is desired to load live stock such end gate and board are raised into a vertical position, when the tie-rod at that end is screwed up sufficient to make the sides of the rack ernbrace the edges oi' the gate and retain it in such elevated position. After the stock has been loaded into the wagon, by merely loosening this tie-rod, the gate by its own gravity will drop into its proper position.

That I claim as my invention isi 1. A stock-rack consisting of the side racks, E, and suitable end-gaies, the rear gate, H, of which is provided with means for engaging with astake-sooket upon the end-board of a wagon and locking 'itself to place, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. In combination with a wagon-body, A, and end -board C, the rack E, provided with the rear gate, H, which carries a stake, J, provided with a spring-catch adapted to engage and lock into a stake socket upon the endboard, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

JAMES O. TAFI. Vitnesses:

H. S. SPRAGUE, E. J. ScULLY. 

